1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector and, in particular, to an electrical connector that can detect a fit state of male and female connectors.
2. Related Art
A conventional electrical connector is known which has a first connector with a locking arm along an outer surface of a housing, a second connector having a hood portion and fixed to the first connector by the locking arm while being engaged with the first connector, a detection member provided between the housing and the locking arm for detecting whether or not the first connector is suitably engaged with (or fitted in) the second connector, and a locking projection on an inner surface of the locking arm for holding the detection member at a standby position (See, e.g., JP-A 2004-63090).
In the electrical connector of JP-A 2004-63090, since the locking arm and the detection member are fixed by the locking projection in projected form, it is possible to keep the strength of the locking arm, as compared to the case that an opening as a locking means is formed penetrating from an outer surface to an inner surface of the locking arm.
However, the electrical connector of JP-A-2004-63090 has the problem that, in case of disengaging the female connector from the male connector while feeding current, the current-carrying between the terminals of the male and female connectors continues until the terminals of the male and female connectors are disconnected, so that the surface of the terminals of the male and female connectors deteriorates and the current-carrying property of the connectors lowers.
Furthermore, the electrical connector according to JP-A-2004-63090 is difficult to downsize since the locking arm is inserted into the hood portion.